Who Were the 12 Apostles Chosen By Jesus Christ 2. Andrew The Apostle Andrew abandoned John the Baptist to become the first follower of Jesus of Nazareth, but John didn't mind. He knew his mission was to point people to the Messiah. Like many of us, Andrew lived in the shadow of his more famous sibling, Simon Peter. Andrew led Peter to Christ, then stepped into the background as his boisterous brother became a leader among the apostles and in the early church . The Gospels don't tell us a great deal about Andrew, but we can read between the lines and find a person who thirsted for truth and found it in the living water of Jesus Christ. Discover how a simple fisherman dropped his nets on the shore and went on to become a remarkable fisher of men. More » The Apostle James by Rembrandt, 1661. Photo: Public Domain 3. James James the son of Zebedee, often called James the Greater to distinguish him from the other apostle named James, was a member of Jesus Christ's inner circle, which included his brother, the Apostle John , and Peter.

Not only did James and John earn a special nickname from the Lord—"sons of thunder"—they were privileged to be at the front and center of three supernatural events in the life of Christ. In addition to these honors, James was the first of the twelve to be martyred for his faith in A.D. 44. More » 'Vision of St John the Evangelist', 1937. Photo: Print Collector/Getty Images 4. John The Apostle John, brother to James, was nicknamed by Jesus one of the "sons of thunder," but he liked to call himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved." With his fiery temperament and special devotion to the Savior, he gained a favored place in Christ's inner circle. John's enormous impact on the early Christian church and his larger-than-life personality, make him a fascinating character study. His writings reveal contrasting traits. For instance, on the first Easter morning, with his typical zeal and enthusiasm, John raced Peter to the tomb after Mary Magdalene reported that it was now empty. Although John won the race and bragged about this achievement in his Gospel (John 20:1-9), he humbly allowed Peter to enter the tomb first.

According to tradition, John outlived all of the disciples, dying of old age in Ephesus, where he preached a gospel of love and taught against heresy . More » Engraving of the Apostle Philip. Photo: Getty Images 5. Philip Philip was one of the first followers of Jesus Christ , and he wasted no time calling others , like Nathanael, to do the same. Although little is known about him after the ascension of Christ, Bible historians believe Philip preached the gospel in Phrygia, in Asia Minor, and died a martyr there at Hierapolis. Learn how Philip’s search for the truth led him directly to the promised Messiah. More » Engraving of the Apostle Nathanael. Photo: Getty Images 6. Nathanael or Bartholomew Nathanael, believed to be the disciple Bartholomew, experienced a jarring first encounter with Jesus. When the Apostle Philip called him to come and meet the Messiah, Nathanael was skeptical, but he followed along anyway.

As Philip introduced him to Jesus, the Lord declared, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Immediately Nathanael wanted to know, "How do you know me?" Jesus got his attention when he answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." Well, that stopped Nathanael in his tracks. Shocked and surprised he declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God ; you are the King of Israel." Nathanael garnered only a few lines in the Gospels, nevertheless, in that instant he became a loyal follower of Jesus Christ. More » Jesus calling Matthew, a taxman, to follow him and become a disciple. Photo: Getty Images 7. Matthew Levi, who became the Apostle Matthew, was a customs official in Capernaum who taxed imports and exports based on his own judgment. The Jews hated him because he worked for Rome and betrayed his countrymen. But when Matthew the dishonest tax collector heard two words from Jesus, "Follow me," he left everything and obeyed. Like us, he longed to be accepted and loved. Matthew recognized Jesus as someone worth sacrificing for.

Find out why, 2,000 years later, Matthew's eyewitness Gospel still sounds an irresistible call. More » 'The Incredulity of Saint Thomas' by Caravaggio. Image: Public Domain 8. Thomas The Apostle Thomas is often referred to as "Doubting Thomas" because he refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw and touched Christ's physical wounds. As far as disciples go, however, history has dealt Thomas a bum rap. After all, each of the 12 apostles, except John, abandoned Jesus during his trial and death at Calvary . Thomas, like us, was prone to extremes. Earlier he had demonstrated courageous faith, willing to risk his own life to follow Jesus into Judea. There is an important lesson to be gained from studying Thomas: If we're truly seeking to know the truth, and we're honest with ourselves and others about our struggles and doubts, God will faithfully meet us and reveal himself to us, just as he did for Thomas. More » The Apostle James the Less reading. Photo: Getty Images 9. James the Less James the Less is one of the most obscure apostles in the Bible.

The only things we know for certain are his name and that he was present in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ ascended to heaven. In Twelve Ordinary Men, John MacArthur suggests that his obscurity may have been the distinguishing mark of his life. Discover why James the Less' complete anonymity may reveal something profound about his character. More » From left to right: Matthew, Thaddeus (Jude), and Simon the Zealot at the last supper in Jerusalem. Photo: Getty Images 10. Simon the Zealot Who doesn't like a good mystery? Well, the Scriptures introduce us to quite a few riddles that scholars have yet to solve. One of those puzzling questions is the exact identity of Simon the Zealot, the Bible's own mystery apostle. Scripture tells us almost nothing about Simon. In the Gospels, he is mentioned in three places, but only to list his name. In Acts 1:13 we learn that he was present with the apostles in the upper room of Jerusalem after Christ had ascended to heaven. Beyond those few details, we can only speculate about Simon and his designation as a Zealot.

More » The Apostle Thaddeus (on left) and Simon the Zealot. Photo: Getty Images 11. Thaddeus or Jude Listed together with Simon the Zealot and James the Less, the Apostle Thaddeus completes a grouping of the least known disciples. In Twelve Ordinary Men, John MacArthur's book about the apostles, Thaddeus, also known as Jude, is characterized as a tender-hearted, gentle man who displayed childlike humility. Some scholars believe Thaddeus wrote the book of Jude. It's a short epistle , but the closing two verses contain a beautiful doxology, one of the finest expressions of praise to God in the entire New Testament. More » In remorse, Judas Iscariot throws down the 30 pieces of silver he received in payment for betraying Christ. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images 12. Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot is the apostle who betrayed his Master with a kiss. For this supreme act of treachery, some would say Judas Iscariot made the greatest error in history. Down through time, people have had strong or mixed feelings about Judas.

Some experience a sense of hatred toward him, others feel pity, and some have even considered him a hero . No matter how you react to him, one thing is certain, believers can benefit greatly by taking a serious look at his life. More » Who were the 12 disciples? | Bibleinfo.com Home » Bible Questions » Who were the 12 disciples? Who were the 12 disciples? The names of the twelve disciples of Jesus are Peter, James (the son of Zebedee), John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. (Matthew 10:1-4 and Luke 6:12-16) [1] Thomas The Apostles of Jesus The 12 disciples/apostles of Jesus were the foundation stones of His church, several even wrote portions of the Bible. In Revelation 21:14 we are told that the twelve foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem will have in them the names of the twelve disciples/apostles. It is evident, therefore, that God attaches great importance to these 12 men.

>> Browse: What are the seven deadly sins? // Who Wrote the Bible? As we study these courageous first-century lives, and what discipleship meant in the time of Jesus, we may expect to be aided in developing a Spirit-directed twenty-first century discipleship as Christ must have meant it to be. The following biographical information about the 12 original disciples of Jesus uses the New Testament accounts along with the most respected legends and traditions. We do not mean to infer, that legend and tradition constitute historical fact. We do feel, however, that they do have value in the study of the lives of these men who "…turned the world upside down…" Other Facts: Andrew Andrew was the brother of Peter, and a son of Jonas. He lived in Bethsaida and Capernaum and was a fisherman before Jesus called him. Originally he was a disciple of John the Baptist (Mark 1:16-18). Andrew brought his brother, Peter, to Jesus (John 1:40). He is the first to have the title of Home and Foreign Missionary. He is claimed by three countries as their Patron Saint-Russia, Scotland and Greece. Many scholars say that he preached in Scythia, Greece and Asia Minor.

Andrew introduced others to Jesus. Although circumstances placed him in a position where it would have been easy for him to become jealous and resentful, he was optimistic and well content in second place. His main purpose in life was to bring others to the master. According to tradition, it was in Achaia, Greece, in the town of Patra that Andrew died a martyr. When Governor Aepeas' wife was healed and converted to the Christian faith, and shortly after that the Governor's brother became a Christian. Aepeas was enraged. He arrested Andrew and condemned him to die on the cross. Andrew, feeling unworthy to be crucified on the same-shaped cross as his Master, begged that his be different. So, he was crucified on an X-shaped cross, which is still called Saint Andrew's cross and which is one of his apostolic symbols. A symbol of two crossed fish has also been applied to Andrew, because he was formerly a fisherman. Bartholomew or Nathanael Bartholomew Nathanael, son of Talmai, lived in Cana of Galilee. His apostolic symbol is three parallel knives. Tradition says he was a missionary in Armenia.

A number of scholars believe that he was the only one of the 12 disciples who came from royal blood, or noble birth. His name means Son of Tolmai or Talmai(2 Samuel 3:3). Talmai was king of Geshur whose daughter, Maacah, was the wife of David, mother of Absolom. Bartholomew's name appears with every list of the disciples (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13). This was not a first name, however; it was his second name. His first name probably was Nathanael, whom Jesus called "An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile" (John 1:47). The New Testament gives us very little information about him. Tradition indicates he was a great searcher of the Scripture and a scholar in the law and the prophets. He developed into a man of complete surrender to the Carpenter of Nazareth, and one of the Church's most adventurous missionaries. He is said to have preached with Philip in Phrygia and Hierapolis; also in Armenia. The Armenian Church claims him as its founder and martyr.

However, tradition says that he preached in India, and his death seems to have taken place there. He died as a martyr for his Lord. He was flayed alive with knives. James the Elder James, the Elder, Boanerges, son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of John the Apostle; a fisherman who lived in Bethsaida, Capernaum and Jerusalem. He preached in Jerusalem and Judea and was beheaded by Herod, AD 44 (Acts 12:1,2). He was a member of the Inner Circle, so called because they were accorded special privileges. The New Testament tells us very little about James. His name never appears apart from that of his brother, John. They were an inseparable pair (Mark 1:19-20; Matthew 4:21; Luke 5:1-11). He was a man of courage and forgiveness, a man without jealousy, living in the shadow of John, a man of extraordinary faith. He was the first of the twelve to become a martyr. His symbol is three shells, the sign of his pilgrimage by the sea.

James the Lesser or the Younger James, the Lesser or Younger, son of Alpheus, or Cleophas and Mary, lived in Galilee. He was the brother of the Apostle Jude. According to tradition he wrote the Epistle of James, preached in Palestine and Egypt and was crucified in Egypt. James was one of the little-known disciples. Some scholars believe he was the brother of Matthew, the tax collector. James was a man of strong character and one of the most fiery type. Still another tradition says that he died as a martyr and his body was sawed in pieces. The saw became his apostolic symbol. John John Boanerges, son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James, the Apostle. He was known as the Beloved Disciple. A fisherman who lived in Bethsaida, Capernaum and Jerusalem, he was a member of the Inner Circle. He wrote the Gospel of John, I John, II John, III John and Revelation. He preached among the churches of Asia Minor. Banished to the isle of Patmos, he was later freed and died a natural death. John was one of the prominent Apostles. He is mentioned in many places in the New Testament.

He was a man of action; he was very ambitious; and a man with an explosive temper and an intolerant heart. His second name was Boanerges, which means son of Thunder. He and his brother, James, came from a more well-to-do family than the rest of the 12 Apostles. Since his father had hired servants in his fishing business (Mark 1:20) he may have felt himself above the rest. He was close to Peter. They were acting together in the ministry. Peter, however, was always the spokesman for the band. John mellowed with time. At the latter part of his life, he had forgotten everything, including his ambition and explosive temper, except his Lord's command of love. It is said that an attempt was made on his life by giving him a chalice of poison from which God spared him. He died of natural causes. A chalice with a snake in it is his symbol. Judas Judas Iscariot, the traitor, was the son of Simon who lived in Kerioth of Judah. He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and afterwards hanged himself (Matthew 26:14,16).

Judas, the man who became the traitor, is the supreme enigma of the New Testament because it is so hard to see how anyone who was so close to Jesus, who saw so many miracles and heard so much of the Master's teaching could ever betray him into the hands of his enemies. His name appears in three lists of the 12 Apostles (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:19). It is said that Judas came from Judah near Jericho. He was a Judean and the rest of the disciples were Galileans. He was the treasurer of the band and among the outspoken leaders. It is said that Judas was a violent Jewish Nationalist who had followed Jesus in hope that through Him his nationalistic flame and dreams might be realized. No one can deny that Judas was a covetous man and at times he used his position as treasurer of the band to pilfer from the common purse. There is no certain reason as to why Judas betrayed his master; but it is not his betrayal that put Jesus on the cross-it was our sins.

His apostolic symbol is a hangman's noose, or a money purse with pieces of silver falling from it. Jude or Thaddeus Jude, Thaddeus, or Lebbeus, son of Alpheus or Cleophas and Mary. He was a brother of James the Younger. He was one of the very little-known Apostles and lived in Galilee. Tradition says he preached in Assyria and Persia and died a martyr in Persia. Jerome called Jude "Trinomious" which means "a man with three names." In Mark 3:18 he is called Thaddeus. In Matthew 10:3 he is called Lebbeus. His surname was Thaddeus. In Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 he is called Judas the brother of James. Judas Thaddeus also was called Judas the Zealot. By character he was an intense and violent Nationalist with the dream of world power and domination by the Chosen People.

In the New Testament records (John 14:22 NIV) he asked Jesus at the Last Supper, "But Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?" Judas Thaddeus was interested in making Christ known to the world. Not as a suffering Saviour, however, but as ruling King. We can see plainly from the answer Jesus gave him, that the way of power can never be substituted for the way of love. It is said that Jude went to preach the gospel in Edessa near the Euphrates River. There he healed many and many believed in the name of the Master. Jude went from there to preach the Gospel in other places. He was killed with arrows at Ararat. The chosen symbol for him is the ship because he was a missionary thought to be a fisherman. Matthew or Levi Matthew, or Levi, son of Alpheus, lived in Capernaum. He was a publican or tax collector. He wrote the Gospel that bears his name. He died a martyr in Ethiopia.

The call of Matthew to the apostolic band is mentioned in Mark 2:14, Matthew 9:9 and Luke 5:27-28. From these passages, we learn that Matthew also was called Levi. It was a common custom in the Middle East at the time of Christ for men to have two names. Matthew's names mean "a gift of God." The name Levi could have been given to him by Jesus. It is likely that James the lesser, who was one of the twelve Apostles, was Matthew's brother, also the son of Alpheus. Although we know little about Matthew personally, the outstanding fact about him is that he was a tax collector. The King James Version calls him a publican, which in Latin is Publicanus, meaning engaged in public service, a man who handled public money, or a tax gatherer. Of all the nations in the world, the Jews were the most vigorous haters of tax gatherers. To the devout Jew, God was the only one to whom it was right to pay tribute in taxes. To pay it to anyone else was to infringe on the rights of God. The tax collectors were hated not on religious grounds only but because most of them were notoriously unjust.

In the minds of many honest, Jewish men, these tax collectors were regarded as criminals. In New Testament times they were classified with harlots, Gentiles and sinners (Matthew 18:17; Matthew 21:31, 33; Matthew 9;10; Mark 2:15,16; Luke 5:30). Tax collectors had been known to assess duty payable at impossible sums and then offer to lend the money to travelers at a high rate of interest. Such was Matthew. Yet, Jesus chose a man all men hated and made him one of His men. It took Jesus Christ to see the potential in the tax collector of Capernaum. Matthew was unlike the other Apostles, who were mostly fishermen. He could use a pen, and by his pen he became the first man to present to the world, in the Hebrew language, an account of the teaching of Jesus. It is clearly impossible to estimate the debt that Christianity owes to this despised tax gatherer. The average man would have thought it impossible to reform Matthew, but to God all things are possible. Matthew became the first man to write down the teachings of Jesus.

He was a missionary of the Gospel, who laid down his life for the faith of his Master. The apostolic symbol of Matthew is three money bags which reminds us that he was a tax collector before Jesus called him. Peter Simon Peter, son of Jonas, was a fisherman who lived in Bethsaida and Capernaum. He did evangelistic and missionary work among the Jews, going as far as Babylon. He was a member of the Inner Circle and authored the two New Testament epistles which bear his name. Tradition says he was crucified, head downward, in Rome. In every apostolic list, the name Peter is mentioned first. However, Peter had other names. At the time of Christ, the common language was Greek and the family language was Hebrew. So his Greek name was Simon (Mark 1:16; John 1:40, 41). His Hebrew name was Cephas (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:22; 9:5 and Galatians 2:9). The Greek meaning of Simon is rock. The Arabic meaning of Cephas is also rock. By trade, Peter was a fisherman.

He was a married man (1 Corinthians 9:5) and his home was Capernaum. Jesus probably made His headquarters there when He visited Capernaum. Peter was also a Galilean as was typical of many of the other disciples. Josephus described the Galileans this way, "They were ever fond of innovation and by nature disposed to change and delighted in sedition. They were ever ready to follow the leader and to begin an insurrection. They were quick in temper and given to quarreling and they were very chivalrous men." The Talmud says this of the Galileans, "They were more anxious for honor than for gain, quick-tempered, impulsive, emotional, easily aroused by an appeal to adventure, loyal to the end." Peter was a typical Galilean. Among the twelve, Peter was the leader. He stands out as a spokesman for all the twleve Apostles. It is he who asked the meaning of the difficult saying in Matthew 15:15. It is he who asked how often he must forgive. It is he who inquired about the reward for all of those who follow Jesus.

It is he who first confessed Jesus and declared Him as the Son of the Living God. It is he who was at the Mount of Transfiguration. It is he who saw Jairus' daughter raised to life. Yet, it is he who denied Christ before a maiden. He was an Apostle and a missionary who laid down his life for his Lord. It is true, Peter had many faults, but he had always the saving grace of the loving heart. No matter how many times he had fallen and failed, he always recovered his courage and integrity. Peter was martyred on a cross. Peter requested that he might be crucified head downward for he was not worthy to die as his Lord had died. His apostolic symbol is a cross upside down with crossed keys. Philip Tradition says that disciple Philip preached in Phrygia and died a martyr at Hierapolis. Philip came from Bethsaida, the town from which Peter and Andrew came (John 1:44). The likelihood is that he, too, was a fisherman.

Although the first three Gospels record his name (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13), it is in the Gospel of John that Philip becomes a living personality. Scholars disagree on Philip. In Acts 6:5, we have Philip as one of the seven ordained deacons. Some say this is a different Philip. Some believe this is the Apostle. If this is the same Philip, then his personality came more to life because he had a successful campaign in Samaria. He led the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ (Acts 8:26). He also stayed with Paul in Ceasarea (Acts 21:8) and was one of the major figures in the missionary enterprise of the early church. The Gospel of John shows Philip as one of the first to whom Jesus addressed the words, "Follow Me." When Philip met Christ, he immediately found Nathanael and told him that "we have found him, of whom Moses … and the prophets, did write." Nathanael was skeptical. But Philip did not argue with him; he simply answered, "Come and see." This story tells us two important things about Philip.

First, it shows his right approach to the skeptic and his simple faith in Christ. Second, it shows that he had a missionary instinct. Philip was a man with a warm heart and a pessimistic head. He was one who would very much like to do something for others, but who did not see how it could be done. Yet, this simple Galilean gave all he had. In return God used him. It is said that he died by hanging. While he was dying, he requested that his body be wrapped not in linen but in papyrus for he was not worthy that even his dead body should be treated as the body of Jesus had been treated. The symbol of Philip is a basket, because of his part in feeding of the five thousand. It is he that stressed the cross as a sign of Christianity and victory. Simon the Zealot Simon, the Zealot, one of the little-known followers called the Canaanite or Zelotes, lived in Galilee. Tradition says he was crucified. In two places in the King James Version he is called a Canaanite (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18).

However in the other two places he is called Simon Zelotes (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). The New Testament gives us practically nothing on him personally except that it says he was a Zealot. The Zealots were fanatical Jewish Nationalists who had heroic disregard for the suffering involved and the struggle for what they regarded as the purity of their faith. The Zealots were crazed with hatred for the Romans. It was this hate for Rome that destroyed the city of Jerusalem. Josephus says the Zealots were reckless persons, zealous in good practices and extravagant and reckless in the worst kind of actions. From this background, we see that Simon was a fanatical Nationalist, a man devoted to the Law, a man with bitter hatred for anyone who dared to compromise with Rome. Yet, Simon clearly emerged as a man of faith. He abandoned all his hatred for the faith that he showed toward his Master and the love that he was willing to share with the rest of the disciples and especially Matthew, the Roman tax collector. Simon, the Zealot, the man who once would have killed in loyalty to Israel, became the man who saw that God will have no forced service.

Tradition says he died as a martyr. His apostolic symbol is a fish lying on a Bible, which indicates he was a former fisherman who became a fisher of men through preaching. Thomas Didymus Thomas Didymus lived in Galilee. Tradition says he labored in Parthia, Persia, and India, suffering martyrdom near Madras, at Mt. St. Thomas, India. Thomas was his Hebrew name and Didymus was his Greek name. At times he was called Judas. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us nothing about Thomas except his name. However, John defines him more clearly in his Gospel. Thomas appeared in the raising of Lazarus (John 11:2-16), in the Upper Room (John 14:1-6) where he wanted to know how to know the way where Jesus was going. In John 20:25, we see him saying unless he sees the nailprints in Jesus' hand and the gash of the spear in His side he will not believe. That's why Thomas became known as Doubting Thomas. By nature, Thomas was a pessimist. He was a bewildered man. Yet, he was a man of courage.

He was a man who could not believe until he had seen. He was a man of devotion and of faith. When Jesus rose, he came back and invited Thomas to put his finger in the nail prints in his hands and in his side. Here, we see Thomas making the greatest confession of faith, "My Lord and my God." Thomas' doubts were transformed into faith. By this very fact Thomas' faith became great, intense and convincing. It is said that he was commissioned to build a palace for the king of India, and he was killed with a spear as a martyr for his Lord. His symbol is a group of spears, stones and arrows. Who replaced Judas Iscariot? Matthias was selected to replace Judas as recorded in Acts 1:15-26. The other man who was also in consideration was named Joseph or Barsabas, and surnamed Justus. Lots were cast and eventually Matthias was chosen.

Acts 1:24-26 records the following, "And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” The Bible is sparse on additional details relating to Matthias, but it does say that Matthias was with Jesus since His baptism until his resurrection. Besides the book of Acts, Matthias isn’t mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. According to historical sources Matthias lived til 80 A.D. and spread the gospel on the shores of the Caspian and Cappadocia. How did the 12 disciples die?

Andrew = Crucified on an X-shaped cross Bartholomew or Nathanael = Flayed alive with knives James the elder = First apostle martyred James the lesser = Sawn in pieces John = Died of natural causes on the isle of Patmos Judas Iscariot = Hung himself Jude or Thaddeus = Killed with arrows Matthew or Levi = Martyred in Ethiopia Peter = Crucified upside-down on a cross Philip = Died by hanging 11 Chapter 10 1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. 2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

Andrew, apostle of Jesus, Andrew the apostle, Bible bios, Bible Stories ï¿½And I....... will draw all men to myself.ï¿½ (Jn. 12:32). . . . learning from the men, women and children of Bible times Andrew, an apostle of Jesus Christ This is a true story! Andrew, the apostle The name Andrew is a Greek name which means ï¿½manlyï¿½ or ï¿½of valor.ï¿½ Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter and son of Jonah. He was born in Bethsaida in the province of Galilee and was a fisherman like his brother Peter. Before he met Jesus, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. However, when John pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God he realized that Jesus was greater and immediately left John, found his brother Peter and became a disciple of Jesus (John 1:25-42). After this Andrew and Peter continued to be fishermen and lived at home until being called permanently by Jesus to be ï¿½fishers of men.ï¿½ (Mt. 4:18f). Most of what we know about Andrew comes from the Gospel of John.

John reveals Andrew as one who was constantly bringing people to Jesus. He began by bringing his brother Peter to Jesus. Later Jesus is teaching the multitudes on the mountainside and he asks Philip where they could find food to feed the crowd and Philip says ï¿½Eight months wages could not buy enough breadï¿½ to feed them. It was Andrew who brought the boy with five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus which Jesus miraculously multiplies into enough food to feed everyone. And it was Andrew who during the Passover Feast brought a group of Greeks (Gentiles) to meet Jesus which prompts Jesus to remark ï¿½when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself.ï¿½ Andrew knew that Jesus came not only to save Israel but everyone on the earth. The last time Andrew is mentioned in the Bible is in Acts chapter one where he is listed as one of the witnesses of Jesusï¿½ resurrection and His ascension into Heaven.

Concentration Game Andrew said, "There is a lad here who has 5 barley loaves and 2 fish...." John 6:9 The writings of the early church fathers such as Eusebius, Origen and Jerome tell us that Andrew traveled extensively preaching the Gospel. The places where he was supposed to have preached included Achaia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia and even Scythia (modern day Russia) which was a land inhabited by barbarians (Col. 3:11). And like his brother Peter, Andrew was crucified during the reign of Nero in Achaia. It is said he was crucified on a saltire cross which is a cross in the shape of an X and that he was tied (instead of nailed) and that he was on the cross for 2 days before dying. During those two days he preached the Gospel to everyone who passed by. Later (in 345 AD) the Roman Emperor Constantine (who was a Christian) had Andrewï¿½s bones carried to the far northwest to modern day Scotland which is why the X shaped cross on which Andrew died became Scotlandï¿½s national flag in the year 1385.

Copyright © 2008, 2009, Woodruff & Woodruff ANDREW in the gospels, first disciple of Jesus Christ People in the story: Jesus of Nazareth , Peter Andrew is mentioned quite often in the gospels, but in a way that must have annoyed him: 'Peter, and his brother Andrew...'. Always 'and his brother Andrew' following the name of the more high-profile Peter. You wonder if it ever bothered Andrew, or if he was used to being the tag-along. The truth is that Andrew had quite a different personality to Peter . He was less impulsive, more approachable, a man who thought quite deeply. He had educated Greek friends who respected his opinion. Some of them asked to meet Jesus, and Andrew introduced them to Jesus and his ideas (see James Tissot's painting of the scene at right). He may have been something of a quiet intellectual among the group of people who formed Jesus' core supporters. His origins were humble. He was a fisherman who came from Bethsaida on the Lake of Galilee, but lived in nearby Capernaum.

But the life of a fisherman does not seem to have satisfied him, for he was also a disciple of John the Baptist , the radical preacher in the desert, who told him about Jesus of Nazareth and called Jesus the 'Lamb of God'. Andrew was a man looking for something more than the steady life of a fisherman. St John the Baptist points out Jesus to Andrew, Ottavio Vannini Andrew meets Jesus Intrigued, Andrew approached Jesus and soon became convinced Jesus was the Messiah. When Jesus later approached Andrew and asked him to join him in his ministry, Andrew readily agreed. It is surprising that the gospels do not make more of Andrew, because he was the first to whom Jesus 'stated his case'. Jesus must have been fortified by Andrew's belief in him when he underwent that life-changing event called the Temptation. Peter meets Jesus Andrew was perhaps the first to spread the Good News. He brought Peter, his brother, to Jesus (John 1, 35-44). The first two disciples whom John reports as attaching themselves to Jesus (Jn 1:35-42) are Andrew and another disciple - whom John does not name, but who is commonly supposed to be John himself.

Andrew then finds his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. Because of this sequence of events, Andrew has been called 'the Peter before Peter' because he is the first (that we know) to bring others to belief in Jesus. 35 The next day John (the Baptist) again was standing with two of his disciples; 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, "What do you seek?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. And he found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Beth-sa'ida, the city of Andrew and Peter. John 1:35-42 What sort of person was he? Why was he among the first to follow Jesus? Because he had an enquiring mind. He was actively looking for the truth. He simply wanted to know. This is why he took Jesus aside on the Mount of Olives to ask when the destruction of the Temple would occur. Right from the start, Andrew appears to have been part of an inner circle among the disciples ï¿½ only he and three others (Peter, James, and John) were on the Mount of Olives with Jesus when Jesus spoke about the coming cataclysm in Jerusalem: the destruction of the Temple and the apocalypse. The miracle of the loaves and fishes Andrew was also practical, and a problem-solver.

It was he who brought the boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus (John 6:8) 'Here is a lad' he says 'with five barley loaves and two fish." (John 6:4-14). 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" 6 This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" 10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost." 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!" The enquiring Greeks He also brought the enquiring Greeks to Jesus (John 12:20-26) in the tense hours before the Last Supper and Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Olives . When a number of Greek Jews wished to speak with Jesus, they approached Philip and Andrew to introduce them to Jesus. 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.

21 So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-sa'ida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him. This is an important point. Every time Andrew is mentioned as an individual, it is because he is bringing someone to Jesus. Jesus arrested Like most of the other apostles, Andrew seems to have abandoned Jesus after he was arrested. But he returned, and was with the frightened group of disciples in Jerusalem after Jesus ascended to heaven.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away; 13 and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. Acts 1:12-13 The death of Andrew There is no mention of his death in the New Testment, but tradition has it that he was crucified at Patrae in Achaea on an X-shaped cross which has become the traditional St. Andrew's cross. He had protested that he was unworthy to be executed on a cross that was the same shape on which Jesus died. It is said he took two agonising days to die. St Andrew the apostle and his cross, El Greco BBC Religion & Ethics - Who were the twelve disciples? Who were the twelve disciples? The Last Supper was the final meal Jesus and 12 disciples shared together The twelve disciples, also known as the twelve apostles, were Jesus's closest followers.

Disciple is a Biblical term meaning learner or pupil. They were men who travelled with Jesus and learned from him. The twelve and Jesus ate together at the Last Supper on the night before Jesus was executed. After Jesus's death, they separated and began to spread his teachings. Disciple was also used to refer to other followers of Jesus - but the 12 apostles were Jesus's closest companions before his crucifixion. There is some disagreement among Biblical scholars as to who exactly should be counted as an apostle. Paul of Tarsus called himself an apostle. He was active in the early Christian church but did not meet Jesus while he was alive - but Paul argued that he received revelation from the risen Jesus directly. Mary Magdalene, a female follower of Jesus, is often referred to as a disciple. She is also sometimes called the apostles' apostle. This article uses the names listed in the Gospel of Matthew, of the 12 main followers of Jesus during his lifetime. The Twelve Disciples What are they famous for? What did they do after Jesus's death? How did they die? Peter, originally called Simon Peter was a fisherman who was called to be a disciple by Jesus at the start of his ministry.

This took place at the Sea of Galilee according to the first three Gospels, or in Judea according to the Gospel of John. Peter's original name was Simeon or Simon, and he is also referred to in John's Gospel as "Simon, son of John". His brother Andrew was also a disciple. Peter is usually regarded as the leader of the disciples. He was singled out by Jesus to found his Church. On the night of his arrest, Jesus predicted that Peter would deny knowing him three times before the cock crowed in the morning. This happened as Jesus predicted. Peter was the leader of the early church. He appointed Matthias as an apostle to replace Judas. Peter allowed non-Jews to join the church without first having to convert to Judaism. He was arrested and imprisoned by Herod Agrippa I around AD44. An angel released him from his chains and he escaped. Christian tradition says that Peter went to Rome and founded a church, which became the Roman Catholic Church, but this is not directly stated in the Bible. Peter is considered to be the first Pope.

An early Christian document, the First Epistle of Clement, strongly suggests that Peter was martyred (killed for his faith) in Rome c AD64. The Church History, a fourth-century text, says Peter was executed by being crucified upside down. Reportedly, Peter requested this because he did not consider himself worthy of dying in the same way as Jesus. Roman Catholics believe Peter is buried in the catacombs under the Vatican but there is some theological disagreement as to the location of Peter's last resting place. Andrew Andrew, a fisherman, was the brother of Peter. Jesus called them both from their boats, telling them he would make them fishers of men. This is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospels. According to John's Gospel, before Andrew joined Jesus's disciples he was a follower of John the Baptist, the Jewish prophet (a person who speaks messages from God) who baptised Jesus. Legends of the early church place Andrew in the area around the Black Sea, where he spread the teachings of Jesus. Church History says he preached in Scythia, a region covering eastern Europe and western Asia.

The Bible does not describe how Andrew died, but later accounts dating from the fourth century to medieval times say he was crucified on an X-shaped cross. This became known as the St Andrew's Cross. The Catholic Encyclopaedia says that his execution was ordered by Aegeas, the Roman governor of Patras in Greece, and that Andrew was tied to the cross, not nailed. His remains were taken from Patras and moved several times, eventually being brought to Rome. In 1964 AD Pope Paul VI gave Andrew's head back to Patras. James (the Greater) James was also known as James the Greater. He was the elder brother of John. Matthew's Gospel also calls him "James the son of Zebedee". In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus nicknames James and John the "sons of thunder" for their tempers. Spanish tradition reported in the Catholic Encyclopedia says that James went to preach in Spain. James is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament. Herod Agrippa I had him beheaded with a sword. According to Spanish tradition, James's remains were brought to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.

Christian pilgrims visit his shrine there, which by the Middle Ages was the third most important Christian pilgrimage site after Rome and Jerusalem. The pilgrimage route is now a World Heritage Site. John John was James's brother. He is also called John the Evangelist or John the Divine. He is believed to be the author of both the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible. John sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper with his head on Jesus's breast, as recorded in his Gospel. He referred to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" rather than by name. John was present at the crucifixion and afterwards took on the care of Jesus's mother Mary. Not much is known for certain about John's life after Jesus's death. An early Church father, Irenaeus, wrote in Against Heresies c AD180 that John wrote his Gospel at Ephesus, in modern-day Turkey. John's official shrine is found there. John spent time in exile on the island of Patmos, according to a line in Revelation, which he wrote there.

A book called The Acts of John contains further stories about him, but it is considered apocryphal (of doubtful accuracy, not part of official scripture) by churches. Tertullian, a second-century Christian writer, wrote that John was plunged into boiling oil in Rome and came out miraculously unhurt. Early traditions say John did not die at all, but ascended into heaven like the Jewish prophets Enoch and Elijah, although the Catholic Church believes that he died in around AD100 "at a great age". Philip Philip is only mentioned in passing in Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospels. The Gospel of John goes into more detail about him. He came from Bethsaida in modern-day Jordan and was a follower of John the Baptist before joining Jesus. Philip was one of the disciples who took part in Jesus's miracle of the loaves and fishes. Philip the Apostle is often confused with Philip the Deacon, another member of the early Church. Bishop Polycrates of Ephesus, writing in the late second century, claims Philip had three daughters. Another document of similar age, the Dialogue of Caius, mentions a Philip with four daughters, but this may be Philip the Deacon, or a confusion of the two.

According to Bishop Polycrates, Philip was buried in Hieropolis, in modern-day Turkey, with two of his daughters who had died of old age. This makes it likely that Philip died naturally. However, the apocryphal Acts of Philip says that he was crucified upside down in Hierapolis. Bartholomew Bartholomew may have been the man John's Gospel calls Nathaniel, who joined Jesus at the same time as Philip. The name Bartholomew means "son of Tolmai", so it is possible that Nathaniel was his given name. This is not accepted by all Christian scholars, but Pope Benedict XVI talks about them as the same man, for example in a sermon he gave in St Peter's Square in October 2006. John's Gospel describes Nathaniel as being from Cana in Galilee and a friend of Philip. Although initially prejudiced against anyone coming from Nazareth, Nathaniel let Philip take him to meet Jesus. Jesus described Nathaniel as an Israelite with no guile, and proved his power by saying he had seen him in the past under a fig tree.

John's Gospel does not explain what the fig tree incident was, or if it was a figure of speech, but this convinced Nathaniel, who immediately said that Jesus was the son of God. The 4th-century bishop Eusebius, known as the "Father of Church History", records a legend that Bartholomew preached in India and gave the Church there a treasured copy of the Gospel of Matthew written in Hebrew. In the 2nd century, when St. Pantaenus of Alexandria travelled to India, he was shown the Gospel and told Bartholomew had been there before him. Bartholomew is said to have died at Albanopolis in Armenia, where he had converted the King Polymius to Christianity and was killed by the king's brother Astyages in revenge. Most legends say his skin was flayed off his body and he was crucified upside down. Others say he was beheaded. The Catholic Encyclopedia lists both but does not give their original sources. Thomas Thomas is also called Didymus, meaning "the twin", and his full name is sometimes given as Judas Thomas. The Gospels do not give details of his life before meeting Jesus.

An apocryphal text called The Acts of Thomas suggests that he was the twin brother of Jesus and a carpenter and stonemason by profession, but this is not widely accepted. We know most about Thomas from John's Gospel. When Jesus planned to return to Judea, where he would be in danger of being put to death, Thomas bravely spoke up "Let us also go, so that we may die with him." At the Last Supper, Jesus announced that he was going to prepare a place for his disciples to be with him. Thomas did not understand and asked how they would know the way there, to which Jesus replied with his famous words "I am the way, and the truth, and the life". Thomas's most famous moment, and the source of his other nickname, "Doubting Thomas", came after Jesus was resurrected. When the other disciples told Thomas what they had seen, he refused to believe it until he saw Jesus and touched his crucifixion wounds for himself. Although Jesus rebuked Thomas for doubting, this event resulted in Thomas being the first to acknowledge Jesus's divinity aloud with the words "My Lord and my God!" Eusebius recorded that Thomas preached in Syria and Persia.

The apocryphal Acts of Thomas records that he travelled from there to India, where he converted the king of Mylapore, near Madras (modern day Chennai), and performed further miracles. Thomas is supposed to have been martyred in India, but there is no support for this, even in the apocryphal Acts of Thomas. Matthew Matthew is introduced as Levi in Mark and Luke's Gospels. It is possible Jesus named him Matthew after recruiting him as a disciple. He is sometimes also called Matthew the Publican. Jesus met Matthew in a customs house in Capernaeum, modern-day Israel. "Publican", in a Biblical context, means a man who collected taxes on behalf of the Roman Empire. In Matthew's case, he would have worked for Herod Antipas. These tax workers were figures of hatred among the Jews of Judea, so for Jesus to recruit one as a disciple was an unpopular move. In Matthew's Gospel, the first of the Gospels to be written, the author himself is not often mentioned. After meeting Jesus in the customs house, Matthew invited him and his disciples to his home for a meal. After this, he left home to follow Jesus.

The rest of Matthew's life is not recorded in the Bible. Irenaeus wrote that Matthew preached to the Hebrews. Eusebius recorded that Matthew wrote and distributed his Gospel in the Hebrew language wherever he travelled. He may have visited Ethiopia and Persia. Most sources agree that Matthew died a martyr's death, but there is disagreement about how he died. The Catholic Encyclopaedia mentions burning, stoning or beheading. James (the son of Alphaeus) James is called "St James the Less" to distinguish him from the other Apostle James. He is called "James the brother of the Lord" (Jesus) in the book of Galatians, but despite this apparent Biblical evidence he may not have been Jesus's brother by blood or even a brother-in-law from Joseph's earlier marriage. The Catholic Church considers James, and other men referred to as Jesus's "brethren", to be his close associates rather than relatives. This is partly because tradition says that Jesus's mother Mary had no other children, and partly because at his crucifixion Jesus sent Mary to live with the apostle John, which would not have been necessary if she had had other sons to take care of her.

In the book of Corinthians, St Paul records that Jesus appeared to James after his resurrection. When Paul came to Jerusalem after his conversion, he met Peter and James the brother of the Lord. James appears to have been highly placed in the Jerusalem Church: Church History records that he was their first bishop. James supported Peter in the decision to let uncircumcised non-Jews into the Church. The second-century Jewish Christian Hegesippus, recorded that James became known as "James the Just" and was very pious, never drinking alcohol or eating meat, and that he never bathed, shaved or anointed himself. The early theologian Clement of Alexandria, quoted in Church History, wrote that James was thrown from the roof of the temple in Jerusalem and "beaten to death with a club by a fuller". Lebbaeus, also called Thaddaeus or Jude Lebbaeus is also referred to as Jude in some Gospels. Jude is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, another disciple and later the betrayer of Jesus.

Opinion is divided on whether Jude the apostle is the same as Jude, brother of Jesus, who is mentioned in the Gospel of Mark The Armenian Apostolic Church honours him along with Saint Bartholomew as its patron saints. In the Roman Catholic Church he is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. According to tradition after Jesus's death he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya. He is also said to have visited Beirut and Edessa. According to the Armenian tradition, Saint Jude suffered martyrdom about AD 65 in Beirut, in the Roman province of Syria, together with the apostle Simon the Zealot, with whom he is usually connected. Simon Simon is known as Simon the Zealot to distinguish him from Simon Peter. His name is sometimes wrongly translated as "the Canaanite". The New Testament says nothing about Simon apart from listing him as a disciple. The apocryphal Acts of Simon and Jude describes the two disciples travelling to preach in Persia. According to his apocryphal Acts, Simon was martyred in Persia by being cut in half with a saw.

Judas Iscariot Judas was the son of Simon Iscariot. The origin of his surname may be a place name, Karioth in Judea, making him "Judas of Karioth". Another theory is that Iscariot was derived from the Sicarii, a radical Jewish group of the time that included some terrorists who fought against Roman rule. "Sicarius" is Latin for murderer or assassin. This gave rise to a minority theory that Judas, in keeping with his radical roots, wanted to provoke a conflict so that Jesus could drive out the Romans and become the ruler of the Jews on earth. This would mean that Judas was well-intentioned but had completely misunderstood Jesus's message. However, most Christians reject this idea. Judas is always the last to be mentioned in lists of the disciples. He was in charge of the group's funds and the Gospels say that he had a habit of stealing the money for himself. Judas is most famous for betraying Jesus, which resulted in Jesus's execution by crucifixion. Judas approached the Jewish authorities to make this offer and was paid thirty pieces of silver to reveal where Jesus was hiding and point him out to them.

After the Last Supper, Jesus and some of his followers went to the garden of Gethsemane. Judas guided a group of soldiers there and identified Jesus by greeting him and kissing him on the cheek. John and Luke's Gospels say that Satan entered into Judas to make him betray Jesus. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark do not mention this, giving the impression that Judas did it purely for the reward. An apocryphal Gospel of Judas says that Judas was acting under Jesus's instructions, having had secret knowledge revealed to him that the other disciples did not know. In this version, Judas betrayed Jesus in the knowledge that his death was necessary to redeem humanity. This idea is also rejected by most Christians. Although Jesus had to die, the general view is that Judas was acting selfishly and carrying out God's plan without knowing it. Matthew's Gospel says that Judas did not live to see Jesus's execution. After hearing of the death sentence, he was overcome by remorse and tried to return the bribe to the priests, ending up by throwing the money on the floor. According to Matthew's Gospel, after returning the bribe, Judas hanged himself.

The priests, who did not want to take the blood money back, used it to buy a potter's field for use as a graveyard for strangers. The field became known as Hacedalma, meaning "the field of blood". The book of Acts seems to disagree with this, saying that Judas himself bought the field with the money and "being hanged, burst asunder in the midst: and all his bowels gushed out". Share this page

Question: Which of the disciples of Jesus was the brother of Andrew?
Answer: Saint Peter